Thermoelectric refrigerating apparatus



amasar, rnnnmonrnornro nnnnionnarnru Arrannrus This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to a refrigerated dairy case which is adapted to be mounted in a wall opening.

The need for refrigerated milk delivery boxes has long been recognized and a large number of arrangements have been proposed from time to time for refrigerating dairy products and the like when first delivered to the home but these arrangements have proven impractical for various reasons. Arrangements whereby dairy products can be placed directly into the main refrigerator through an opening in an outside wall have proven unsatisfactory not only from the cost standpoint but also from numerous other standpoints. Likewise the practicability of providing a separate refrigerated cabinet solely for receiving and refrigerating dairy products has been considered impractical due to the cost and size of the mechanical refrigeration equipment necessary for refrigerating a small dairy case and due to the cost of operating such a separate refrigerator.

lt is an object of this invention to provide a small thermoelectric powered wall mounted refrigerator having a first door through which dairy products and the like may be inserted into the cabinet from the outside and having a second door from which the products may be removed from within the house.

It is another object of this invention to provide a small dairy case which incorporates means for automatically turning on the refrigeration only when one or more articles to be refrigerated are placed in the case.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

in the drawing:

FIGURE l is a vertical, sectional View showing a refrigerator embodying my invention;

FiGURE 2 is a plan View of the refrigerator; and

FIGURE 3 shows the circuit diagram.

.Referring now to the drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown, reference numeral designates an outer kitchen wall of a home having an opening 12 formed therein in which a small insulated cabinet 14 is adapted to be supported as shown. The cabinet 14 is provided With an outside door 16 through which dairy products and the like can be inserted into the cabinet 14 from the outside by the delivery man. An inside door 18 is provided on the inside of the house through which the dairy products and the like may be removed by an occupant of the house.

3,075,5@2 Patented Fels. 26, 1953 A thermoelectric cooling panel 20 is supported on the door with the cold side or cold end of the junctions 22 facing the interior of the cabinet l-t and the hot side or hot junctions Z4 disposed in a duct Ze formed as a part of the door 18. A power supply 28 is also supported by the door in the duct 26 so as to be cooled by the convection flow of air through the duct 26.

An article support 30 is mounted within the cabinet 14 on suitable spring means 32 which normally hold the bottom of the article support 30 out of contact with a control switch 34 mounted directly beneath the article support 30. The control switch 34 is arranged in circuit with the thermoeleetric refrigeration unit and is so arranged that it closes the circuit to the thermoelectric cooling equipment in response to placing an article on the support 30.

For purpose of illustration there is shown a milk bottle 36 and a pound of butter 38 disposed on the article support 3i?. The switch 34 is only closed when one or more articles are placed on the support 30 with the result that the therrnoelectric refrigeration is only turned on when something is placed in the cabinet 14.

The thermoelectric panel has the advantage that it is sufficiently compact and quiet in operation for this purpose. By having it in operation only when some product is placed in the cabinet, the cost of operating the refrigerator is kept within reason. Furthermore, the thermoelectric cooling effect acts more quickly after the equipment is turned on so there is no need for turning on the equipment long before refrigeration is needed. In a compression refrigeration system it takes appreciably longer for the system to pump down and start cooling.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

in a refrigerator, means forming an insulated enclosure having an opening in one wall thereof, a door for said opening having a vertically extending air flue extending substantially the full width of said door, an article support within said enclosure, thermoelectric refrigeration means carried by the upper portion of said door having cold junction means arranged in thermal exchange relationship with the air in the upper portion of said enclosure, means disposed in the lower portion of said air flue for supplying electrical current to said thermoelectric means, said thermoelectric means having its hot junctions disposed in the upper portion of said flue, and means responsive to placing an article in said cabinet for initiating the flow of current to said thermoelectric means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,028,046 Calatroni Jan. 14, 1936 2,207,331 Patterson July 9, 1940 2,579,379 Pritsche Dec. 18, 1951 2,964,912 Roeder Dec. 20, 1960 

